

The Kitchen Garden. 525 



with vs for fawce to meate all the Winter long. Some haue ftriuen to equall 

 them, by pickling vp our Cowcumbers at the later end of the yeare, when 

 they are cheapell, taking the little ones and fcalding them thoroughly well, 

 which after they put in brine, with fome Dill or Pencil leaues and Italkes: 

 but thefe are nothing comparable to the former, wee either miffing of the 

 ri^ht and orderly pickling of them, or the kinde it felfe differing much from 

 ours (as I faid ot the IXmtlickc kinde) for ours are neither fo tender and 

 finne, nor fo fauoury as the other. 



The rawe or greene Cowcumbers are fittell for the hotter time of the 

 yeare, and for hot ftomackes, and not to be vfed in colder weather or cold 

 llomackes, by reafon of the coldnefle, whereby many haue been ouertaken. 



The feede is vfed phyfically in many medicines that ferue to coole, and a 

 little to make the paltages of vrine flippery, and to giue eafe to hot difeafes. 



CHAP. LI 1 1 1. 



Me/o. Milions or Muske Melons. 



THere bee diuers forts of Melons found out at this day, differing much in the 

 goodneffe of tafte one from another. This Countrey hath not had vntill of 

 late yeares the skill to nourfe them vp kindly, but now there are many that are 

 fo well experienced therein, and haue their ground fo well prepared, as that they will 

 not mifle any yeare, if it be not too extreme vnkindly, to haue many ripe ones in a rea- 

 fonable time: yet tome will be later then others alwayes. 



The Melon is certainly a kinde of Cowcumber, it doth fo neere referable it, both 

 in the manner of his growing, hauing rough trailing branches, rough vneuen leaues, 

 and yellow flowers: after which come the fruit, which is rounder, thicker, bigger, 

 more rugged, and fpotted on the outfide then the Cowcumber, of a rufiet colour, and 

 greene vnderneath, which when it groweth full ripe, will change a little yellowifh, 

 being as deepe furrowed and ribbed ae they, and befides hauing chaps or rifts in di- 

 uers places of the rinde : the inward hard iubltance is yellow, which onely is eaten : 

 the feede which is bigger, and a little yellower then the Cowcumber, lying in the mid- 

 dle onely among the moifter pulpe : the fmell and changing of his colour, fore-fhew 

 their ripeneffe to them that are experienced : the roote is long, with many fibres at it. 

 The fruit requireth much watering in the hot time of the day, to caufe them to ripen 

 the fooner, as I haue obferued by diuers of the beft skill therein. 



The Vfe of the kindes of Melons. 



The belt Melon feede doe come to vs out of Spaine, fome haue come out 

 of Turkic, but they haue been nothing fo good and kindly. 



Some are called Sugar Melons, others Peare Melons, and others Muske 

 Melons. 



They haue beene formerly only eaten by great perfonages, becaufe the 

 fruit was not only delicate but rare ; and therefore diuers were brought from 

 France, and fince were nourfed vp by the Kings or Noblemens Gardiners 

 onely, to lerue for their Mailers delight : but now diuers others that haue 

 skill and conueniencie of ground for them, doe plant them and make them 

 more common. 



They paire away the outer rinde, and cut out the inward pulpe where 

 the feede lyeth, flice the yellow firme inward rinde or fubllance, & fo eate it 

 with fait and pepper (and good Itore of wine, or elle it will hardly digeft) 

 for this is firmer, & hath not that moillure in it that the Cowcumbers haue. 

 It is alfo more delicate, and ot more worth, which recompenleth the paine. 



The feed of thefe Melons are vied as Cowcumbers phyfically, and to- 

 gether with them moft viually. 



CHAP. 



